By Kris McDowell | Aug. 28, 2026 | Southeast Examiner
In conjunction with the Lower Columbia Canoe Club, WaterWatch presents “Paddling Across Time — A Hayes River Journey” on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hopworks Brewing at 2944 SE Powell Blvd.
The presentation features Portland-based adventurer Lee Sessions as he recounts his and his crew’s 2025 canoe expedition down the remote and challenging Hayes River north of the Arctic Circle in Nunavut, Canada’s largest, northernmost, and newest territory. Through their own experience, research, and interviews with past travelers, Sessions and his team offer a contemporary lens on the pull of wilderness, the meaning found in the shared effort of a team, and the deep connections forged through travel in the Arctic north.
This piece originally appeared in the Aug. 28, 2026, issue of the Southeast Examiner.